NALCAB

Nolensville Pike Equitable Development Action Plan Nashville, Tennessee

Developed in partnership with Vision for the Neighborhood

We envision a Nolensville Pike that is an

accessible, safe, walkable, and culturally

diverse place where Latino and Kurdish

immigrant communities are fully represented

in the planning, development, and policy

decisions that impact their lives, and where immigrant entrepreneurs and minority-owned

small businesses thrive. Nolensville Pike Equitable Development Action Plan

Table of Contents

01 | Introduction 4

02 | About the Neighborhood 12

03 | Goals, Strategies, and Actions 22

04 | Timeline for Implementation and Measurable Outcomes 28

conexionamericas.org • 3 Note: This report was written at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020. As Conexión Américas addresses this long-term crisis, compounded with the effects of the March 3, 2020 tornadoes in Middle Tennessee, we will need to significantly adjust our goals and timeline according to the current needs of our community, as well as the public health guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and our local Metro Nashville and Tennessee health departments.

01 | Introduction

Conexión Américas, as the founder of Casa Azafrán Pike. Increased transportation modes, for example, on Nolensville Pike — home to many Latino families provide safer and more reliable ways for residents and immigrant and refugee-owned businesses — to thrive and access jobs, schools, stores and furthers its mission of building a welcoming community community centers. Long-term, our team listens and creating opportunities where Latino families to community members’ concerns and advocates can belong, contribute, and succeed through the across multiple agencies and levels of government Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative by advocating to make equitable development along Nolensville for a safe and accessible environment along Nolensville Pike a reality.

With the Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative, our vision is to make the Nolensville Pike corridor safer for everyone, improve the economic prospects and equitable development of the area, and provide new opportunities for adding housing and jobs — all while avoiding displacement of the vital communities of residents and businesses that call the Pike home today.

As the region works to make improvements in transportation, walkability, and open space, it is essential that steps be taken to ensure that all Nashvillians of all backgrounds and income levels can share in the results.

Rather than attempting to prevent new development along Nolensville Pike, which could bring jobs, increase the tax base, and improve quality of life for existing and new residents alike, the goal should be to ensure that improvements to the corridor include housing and commercial opportunities for immigrants, minorities, low-income households, and long-term residents who have called the neighborhood home or operated businesses there for many years.

— Envision Nolensville Pike II Report, 2017

4 • conexionamericas.org We know the timing for this work for equitable development. In the wake of the March 2020 tornadoes development is pressing. We are continuing to focus in Middle Tennessee, we responded with community on retaining the diversity of the corridor, from its partners in affected areas which include some of culinary offerings to its business district and vibrant Nashville’s most diverse and historic neighborhoods arts and cultural spaces. We are well aware of the facing already-high displacement pressures. Our displacement of residents and local businesses, which institutional legacy, coupled with our strong ties is an increasing concern for Conexión Américas and to the neighborhood — our neighborhood — along the Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative. With the Nolensville Pike commercial corridor, allows us construction starting on a new Major League Soccer to partner with stakeholders to help families stay stadium going up a mile from Casa Azafrán, we are in this area, even as displacement pressures mount communicating with major stakeholders in the stadium’s even more in a time of crisis.

Casa Azafrán: Established in 2012, and located at the gateway to Nashville’s international district, Casa Azafrán is a non- profit collaborative led by Conexión Américas that brings together eight immigrant and refugee-serving organizations.

conexionamericas.org • 5 Nolensville Pike Overview

6 • conexionamericas.org In 2012, Conexión Américas established Casa Azafrán, Walk Bike Nashville and Transportation for America. a nonprofit collaborative that is home to Conexión We began with a pop-up installation at Casa Azafrán, Américas and nine partners at the gateway of Nashville’s which asked community members to rank their International District. As the lead partner of Casa priorities for the corridor, followed by Creative Labs Azafrán, Conexión Américas advocates for the diversity hosted at different locations along Nolensville Pike of the Nolensville Pike corridor as an asset to the which asked residents from diverse communities to Middle Tennessee region. We promote immigrant discuss assets and shortcomings of their neighborhood entrepreneurship and the story of Latino business and to imagine what it could one day become. This owners’ contributions to the community, including process resulted in the engagement of hundreds of the 22 entrepreneurs who operate in our on-site Mesa community members who have voiced aspirations Komal culinary incubator and commercial kitchen. for neighborhood improvements, which we have As a result of their entrepreneurial work in Mesa documented and artistically represented. The Nashville Komal, 46 jobs and 11 new businesses were created Civic Design Center (NCDC) attended those meetings in 2019. In 2015, we built community support for and created visual renderings of potential transportation the vision of a new collaborative to convene and solutions at particular intersections along the Pike. lead the visioning process for the Nolensville Pike In June 2016, the Collaborative released the first corridor, including advocating for private and Envision Nolensville Pike report detailing the results public investments in infrastructure, transportation, of community feedback on transportation challenges affordable housing, and public art. and solutions along Nolensville Pike.

Conexión Américas and the Nashville Area In May 2017, Conexión Américas collaborated with Metropolitan Planning Organization founded the Transportation for America to release Envision Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative in 2015 to Nolensville Pike II, a study detailing recommendations bring together city and state agencies and other local to mitigate involuntary displacement of existing organizations to spark inclusive development along residents and small businesses along the Nolensville Nashville’s Nolensville Pike Corridor. The Collaborative Pike corridor for Metro Nashville decision-makers. includes: Metro Nashville Arts Commission; Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Sustainability; Metro In 2018, the Collaborative leadership expanded to Nashville Planning Department; Metro Nashville include the Salahadeen Center, a Kurdish community Public Works; Metro Parks; Tennessee Department of center on Nolensville Pike. The Collaborative has Transportation; WeGo; Nashville Civic Design Center; brought together city and state agencies in an

conexionamericas.org • 7 On August 11, 2018, at the Grand Opening of Azafrán Park, Co-founder and former Executive Director of Conexión Américas, Renata Soto, spoke to the organization’s vision for an equitable and inclusive Nashville that includes access for all its residents to inviting, beautiful, well-maintained, and safe public places in which to play, socialize, and participate.

unprecedented way, joining artists, engineers, city build civic pride and by community engagement planners and residents at the same table to make in the design process. In 2017, the Collaborative decisions as a team about investments that can transform won $1.2 million in Nashville Public Investment Nolensville Pike from a congested, dangerous road Plan funding to pilot transportation solutions along into a thriving “main street” which celebrates the area’s Nolensville Pike to improve walking conditions diversity. Additionally, in August 2018, Conexión and create a sense of place in this diverse part of Américas saw the opening of the $2.6 million Azafrán Nashville. Since 2018, the Collaborative has driven Park, a public-private partnership which transformed initiatives for walking, bicycling and transit access a used-car lot into a public park in the area of Davidson improvements at Thompson Lane and the entrance County with the least amount of open green space. to Azafrán Park. These improvements included the Since that time, we’ve turned Azafrán Park into a installation of a new traffic light and Nolensville community asset by hosting weekly farmers’ markets Pike’s first permanent pedestrian refuge island — a during the spring and summer in partnership with concrete stopping point in the middle of a crosswalk the Nashville Farmers’ Market and created our own completed in Summer 2019. This pedestrian refuge, Festival del Día del Niño, bringing together hundreds which required financial investments, advocacy and of Latino immigrant families to connect with resources buy-in from several team members and neighborhood while children play on the park’s splash pad and stakeholders, now makes it safer for families to cross climbing structure. the street to play at Azafrán Park.

We have measured the Envision Nolensville Pike Additionally, our teamwork has resulted in the Collaborative’s success by physical changes along involvement of youth interns as key stakeholders in the corridor that reduce pedestrian fatalities and the process of envisioning their neighborhoods and

8 • conexionamericas.org working in partnership with other civic organizations. of community-driven bus stop installations and utility In 2019, Kurdish and Latino youth teamed up during box wraps that will preserve the unique character of our spring internship to survey residents of the area, the neighborhood while promoting pedestrian and bus design interventions, and then implement those rider safety. As a result of our collaboration for transit interventions. For this internship, we also collaborated improvements, equitable community development and with the Metro Public Health Department, the public art, the Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative Nashville Civic Design Center, Metro Planning, was named a finalist in 2019 for Nashville’s Center and Metro Public Works, keeping true to the for Nonprofit Management’s Frist Foundation Team collaborative spirit of our Envision Nolensville Pike Building Award. project. Local filmmaker Jama Mohamed directed a mini-documentary on the Envision Nolensville Along with the Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative, Pike Collaborative internship program scheduled Conexión Américas has been recognized as a national to premiere at the Belcourt Theater in Nashville in leader in equitable development and place-based April 2020. advocacy. In July 2019, our Director of Policy & Communications, Andrés Martínez, traveled to The Collaborative has led placemaking initiatives Minneapolis as part of Smart Growth America’s with ArtPlace America funding. In August 2018, Transportation and Health Convening to provide with the opening of Azafrán Park, we installed the feedback on the organization’s now-released report, The community-collaborative Roots & Routes International State of Transportation and Health Equity. That same Coin Mural led by Nashville-based artist Jairo Prado. month, Conexión Américas also hosted a convening of In July 2019, we commissioned Nashville’s firstLittle developers, city leaders, and community organizations Kurdistan mural and sign at the Salahadeen Center. to envision the next steps of equitable development The Mural has become the identifying symbol of on Nolensville Pike. In February 2020, the Urban the Little Kurdistan neighborhood of Nashville. In Institute invited Conexión Américas to form part December 2019, we announced the commissioning of their Access to Opportunity Through Inclusive

Kurdish and Latino students engaged in the Design Your Neighborhood high school internship program, as pictured here, identified pedestrian safety as a primary concern for equitable development on Nolensville Pike.

conexionamericas.org • 9 Transportation Expert Roundtable in Washington, Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative conducted D.C, which aims to study transit inclusion in Baltimore, initial outreach to English, Kurdish and Spanish- Nashville, Lansing, and Seattle, and explore how speaking small business owners on Nolensville Pike. transportation inclusion varies across regions. In Our outreach liaisons contacted 76 small business March 2019, Conexión Américas, in partnership with owners and received 33 responses to our survey (43% the Greater Nashville Regional Council, joined the participation rate) with the incentive of eligibility Regional Planning Associations’ first Healthy Regions to apply for a micro-enterprise grant of $1,000 to Planning Exchange to co-learn, share, and develop $2,500 for beautification, technology improvements, strategies with 10 other regions on critical planning or equipment purchases for their small business. issues, and identify specific tactics to advance more Of our 33 survey participants, 25 business owners equitable metropolitan regions. submitted grant applications. In January 2020, we hosted two meetings of the small business owners at Since August 2019, in partnership with the National Casa Azafrán to review the results of the surveys and Association of Latino Community Asset Builders to name the grant recipients. We awarded the grants (NALCAB), we have implemented the recommendation to five immigrant and refugee-owned small businesses in the Envision Nolensville Pike II report to survey on Nolensville Pike in March 2020. As a result of this the needs of small business owners on Nolensville engagement, small business owners along Nolensville Pike and to engage business owners to identify Pike are considering forming a business alliance to community priorities and advocate for infrastructure invest in the physical environment and infrastructure investment to promote safer, more complete streets. of Nolensville Pike. From August to December 2019, members of the

The mural titled “Little Kurdistan,” created by artists Tony Sobota and Nabeel Alyousef and calligrapher Rafif Alsaleh, depicts life in Kurdistan. The Little Kurdistan Mural Festival, hosted by the Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative on June 29, 2019, gathered community members to celebrate the instal- lation of public art and the recently constructed Elysian Fields Road walking path.

10 • conexionamericas.org Latino-owned cafe, taqueria, and event space Tempo, located at 2179 Nolensville Pike, received a $1,000 grant to purchase kitchen equipment on March 9, 2020.

Conexión Américas’ engagement with small business partnership with the Nashville Mayor’s Office and owners on Nolensville Pike has been part of our a local CDFI, Pathway Lending, Conexión Américas long-term strategy: We have supported over 800 was named a recipient of the Etsy Maker Cities Grant, business owners in our Spanish-language ‘Negocio which has allowed us to host two four-week series of Próspero’ microenterprise development program both Spanish and English-language classes in Spring since its inception in 2003. We have also created 2020 to help small businesses move into the online an English-language curriculum from our pilot of marketplace, including the Etsy platform. We have small business classes held at the Salahadeen Center also received $300,000 in new funding from the in Fall 2019. While we learned that off-site courses JPMorgan Chase Foundation to expand and deepen and classes reaching a new community presented a Conexión Américas’ microenterprise development challenge, we have continued to provide technical work. By planting seeds for the formation of a small assistance, including individual support and financial business alliance on Nolensville Pike, we can work counseling, for Nolensville Pike small business owners to mitigate the impacts of forced displacement and to in both English and Spanish. Additionally, each year promote greater civic engagement and collaboration at Casa Azafrán, we host four industry-specific tracks among minority small business owners facing of Spanish-language courses in construction, small similar challenges. retail, culinary, and janitorial services. In 2019, in

conexionamericas.org • 11 02 | About the Neighborhood

Nolensville Pike, one of the many spokes connecting downtown Nashville with suburban areas, is a typical arterial state highway funneling traffic in and out of the city — an average of 60,000 automobile trips a day — while also serving adjacent commercial uses and residential neighborhoods. The road itself is clearly auto-oriented with wide, straight lanes and intermittent sidewalks immediately adjacent to fast-moving traffic that make walking an unpleasant and often dangerous experience. But it’s also filled with traffic lights and scores of local uses that slow down the thru-traffic. As a result, it’s neither fish nor fowl, neither a street nor a road; it’s a street/road “stroad” hybrid that does a poor job of either efficiently connecting two distant places or serving as a framework for creating lasting value and encouraging local trips. Nolensville Pike is also the anchor of the most diverse area of the city. It is home to the largest number of immigrant families in the Nashville region: 80 percent of Latino families are foreign-born, the largest Kurdish community in the country is centered around the corridor, and large numbers of Somali and Ethiopian immigrants also reside here. Nolensville Pike is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse corridors in the state of Tennessee and has been diverse for decades.

— Envision Nolensville Pike II Report, 2017

Demographic Shifts African American, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Latino neighborhoods. This trend has caused a demographic and Changes shift in the Woodbine neighborhood, where Casa Azafrán is located, adjacent to Nolensville Pike. As Nashville has grown in the past two decades to According to the Nashville Business Journal, between become an “It City,” the city has seen unprecedented 2011 and 2016, “The heavily hispanic Southeast population and economic growth. Comparable to Nashville neighborhood of Woodbine has more other expanding urban centers in the Southeast, than doubled its number of white residents in five Nashville’s economic boom has contributed to trends years, with the percentage climbing from 31 percent of revitalization and gentrification of historically to 72 percent. The hispanic population in the area,

12 • conexionamericas.org meanwhile, now makes up 30 percent of the area’s According to the Tennessean’s report on Nashville’s residents, down from 40 percent five years ago.” Record Reappraisal of home and property values in the city between 2013 and 2017, the Woodbine The 37211 zip code tabulation area includes 9.3 miles neighborhood has experienced the most rapid ap- of Nolensville Pike in Davidson County. The area of preciation: “In blue-collar neighborhoods near The census tract 172 includes the Woodbine neighborhood Fairgrounds Nashville and Nolensville Pike such as and Casa Azafrán. According to ACS Community Woodbine, appreciation has skyrocketed by an esti- Survey data from 2018, the racial and ethnic demo- mated average of 57 percent since 2013. That leads graphics of these two geographic areas were: the entire city.” The Tennessean alsoreported on our release of the Envisioning Nolensville Pike II report Zip Code 37211 Census Tract 172 and the displacement pressures that small business 19.9% Hispanic or Latino 27.1% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) (of any race) owners are facing on Nolensville Pike. Since that report’s release, the community has seen the closing 53.1% White alone 62.5% White alone of small businesses due to rent increases, including 15.5% Black or 7.5% Black or African American alone African American alone Flatrock Coffee, Tea, and More. 8.1% Asian alone 1.2% Asian alone In May 2018, the Nashville Business Journal released 2.5% Two or more races 1.7% Two or more races their Index of Neighborhood Change based upon their 0.3% American Indian and analysis of the change in Nashville demographics Alaska Native, 0.2% Native between 2011 and 2016 census tract data. The Journal Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 0.5% Other race analyzed the five factors linked to gentrification according to academic researchers, including “median

conexionamericas.org • 13 Race/Ethnicity — 2017

Race / Ethnicity 2017

Race / Ethnicity 1 Dot = 10 People White Black Asian Hispanic / Latino Other Casa Azafran

N Nashville Council Districts 16 & 17 Coordinate System: NAD 1983 StatePlane Tennessee FIPS 4100 Feet Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates Datum: North American 1983 Miles 010.5 2

14 • conexionamericas.org household income, average household size, racial demographics, educational attainment and median “Worries about growth are well-founded as rents gross rent.” According to their analysis, Woodbine is for tenants and businesses have skyrocketed the third most changed neighborhood in Nashville. and people have been displaced from their Moreover, the Woodbine neighborhood is determined neighborhoods as a result.” as high risk to further displacement in the Index of — David Plazas, “Nashville soccer stadium Displacement Pressure. Using data from their first deal scores a goal for the city, but learn analysis of the Index of Neighborhood Change, the from red-card worthy mistakes,” Nashville Business Journal incorporated renters’ data February 14, 2020, USA Today and proximity to previously gentrified neighborhoods to determine the risk of displacement. For refugee and immigrant-owned small businesses, while Nashville’s economic growth presents an opportunity for As of March 2020, Nashville has begun construction increased revenue, it also presents the challenge of on a new Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium on significant rent increases and uncertain futures for Nolensville Pike, one mile from Casa Azafrán. As the their shopping centers as developers survey new construction of Nissan Stadium (East Nashville) and project areas. First Horizon Park (Germantown/North Nashville) contributed to the rapid demographic shifts of those neighborhoods, we are aware of the need for a community-led action plan for equitable development on Nolensville Pike.

conexionamericas.org • 15 Permits

Pemit 216 21

Construction Cost

Low High Casa Azafran New MLS Stadium

N aville ouncil Ditict 16 17 Coordinate System: NAD 1983 StatePlane Tennessee FIPS 4100 Feet Projection: Lambert Conformal Conic Source: City of Nashville Datum: North American 1983 Miles 0 0.5 1 2

16 • conexionamericas.org Development on Nolensville Pike

As a major thoroughfare and site of the incoming MLS stadium, Nolensville Pike has been identified as a prime area for reinvestment. In May 2017, the Nashville Business Journal named the immigrant and refugee-owned business area as Nashville’s “next land rush.”

“The arrival of Nashville’s MLS stadium — in combination with the Opportunity Zones and redevelopments such as the May Hosiery complex — has led to increased popularity in this once-industrial district.”

— Nashville Post

As shown by Nashville Planning’s development

tracker (right), in March 2020, the Nolensville Pike As shown by the Metro Planning Commission of area supports a number of new development projects. Nashville’s development tracker from March 2020, In our neighborhood, recent projects and real estate the Nolensville Pike corridor supports a number of new development projects, including the construction acquisitions include: of new apartment developments and the Major League Soccer stadium at the Nashville Fairgrounds. • A 4.95-acre lot located near Casa Azafrán, purchased in March 2019 by an Atlanta-based developer for $7.15 million to build multi-family luxury apartments and condos • A 0.83-acre building located across the street from Casa Azafrán, purchased in August 2019 for $3.9 million • A 5.5-acre mixed-use development project located down the street from Casa Azafrán, Core Devel- opment’s Alloy on Tech Hill project, constructed in 2017 and expanded in 2019 to include maker businesses and “artisan manufacturing”

conexionamericas.org • 17 Transit Improvements

It is documented that Nolensville Pike is one of the most dangerous roads in the state, evidenced by numerous hit-and-run incidents that harmed pedestrians in 2019. Due to a lack of safe crosswalks and traffic calming instruments, this danger to pedestrians is likely to increase: According to the Traffic Impact Analysis report conducted for Metro Nashville in August 2018, traffic on Nolensville Pike around the stadium is expected to increase by 28 percent.

In 2019, after seven years of deliberation, the Metro Nashville City Council passed an ordinance to improve beautification efforts of Nolensville Pike. The corridor overlay will address “future aesthetics to landscaping, signage, front facades, and commercial building projects.” This ordinance coincides with the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s plan to improve a 4.4-mile stretch of Nolensville Pike in southern Davidson County by reconstructing and widening the road, set to begin in 2020. Thecost of this project has risen with the increase in property values along Nashville’s first bilingual crosswalk was installed along the corridor. In our action plan, we have included Nolensville Road near Casa Azafrán in 2014. In 2019, the intersection saw the implementation of pedestrian and bike advocacy measures for accessible transit options, traffic access improvements, including a new traffic light and improvements, walkability, and impact amelioration Nolensville Pike’s first permanent pedestrian refuge island. of transit improvements on Nolensville Pike for small business owners.

18 • conexionamericas.org Small Business Owners’ Survey Data

In our survey of 33 small business owners on Nolensville Pike between August and December 2019, we identified three priority areas from the survey data: vulnerability to displacement, transportation improvements, and technical support for businesses.

Vulnerability to displacement: Of our survey sample, 94% of business owners do Five business owners cited the increase in rent as their not own their properties. Eleven business owners chief concern in relating to the possibility of losing (33.3%) indicated that they are concerned that they their business. Other business owners identified their will no longer be able to keep their business in its chief concerns related to safety, opportunities to current location. Additionally, 69.7% of business build their clientele, change in demand for their owners surveyed indicated that they have “experienced business in the area, and the need for building increases in the cost of rent or property taxes recently.” improvements and beautification.

conexionamericas.org • 19 Transportation improvements: The consensus of our survey respondents demonstrate that transportation improvements are needed to support the vitality of small businesses and to increase pedestrian-friendly access and safety on Nolensville Pike. • 45.5% of survey respondents indicated that more sidewalks are needed to support their business. • 36.4% responded that slower traffic is needed to support their business. • 21.2% responded that better transportation is needed to improve businesses. • 42.4% responded positively that more parking is needed to support their business. • 36.4% responded that more crosswalks are needed in the area surrounding their business.

Business needs: In addition to rent stabilization and infrastructure improvements, business owners identified the following needs for technical support to maintain and improve their business models. • 16 survey respondents (48%) indicated a need to learn from organizations focusing on building affordable business space and affordable housing on Nolensville Pike. • 14 respondents (42%) indicated a need for classes on marketing. • 14 respondents (42%) indicated a need for access to capital, such as a loan, investment or other source of revenue. • 13 respondents (39%) indicated a need for accounting classes or technical assistance to help secure a loan to start or grow their business.

20 • conexionamericas.org conexionamericas.org • 21 03 | Goals, Strategies, and Actions

Our action plan identifies seven goals Goal #1 to enact equitable development on Ensure immigrant entrepreneurs and Nolensville Pike. In conjunction with minority-owned small businesses share organizational partners, developers, in Nashville’s economic “boom” and are funders, elected officials, and city protected from involuntary displacement and state governments, we will work in a spirit of collaboration to ensure that Nolensville Pike residents and 1A. Strategy: Learn from partner organizations about business owners’ voices and interests best practices and strategies for engaging in advocacy are represented in decision-making • Action: Nolensville Pike Development: Host processes surrounding our community’s convening(s) of cross-sector leaders about the development. It is our role to ensure future of Nolensville Pike that immigrant and refugee business 1B. Strategy: Continue to advocate for increased owners are informed, civically engaged, Latino and immigrant representation in economic and supported by our local and state development planning and build coalitions for governments in the development process. equitable development advocacy in Nashville

22 • conexionamericas.org • Action: Continue to develop partnerships with the Salahadeen Center, the Greater Nashville Regional Council, and the Nashville Civic Design Center Goal #2 • Action: Continue to engage with our Metro Increase civic engagement and Council elected representatives as a leader advocacy of Latino and Kurdish in conversations about the development of small business owners and immigrant Nolensville Pike communities to be consulted as experts • Action: Engage with the Nashville Mayor’s with community organizations, policy Office and the Metropolitan Housing and makers, and developers Development Agency as a subzone captain of the Nashville Promise Zone

1C. Strategy: Advocate for policy changes for small 2A. Strategy: Connect small business leaders with businesses to receive support from Metro government policy makers and advocacy opportunities to increase funds to mitigate risk of displacement and funding representation in city planning and decision-making for affordable housing on Nolensville Pike • Action: Invite staff of Mayor’s Office, Metro • Action: Advocate for rent subsidization or Council members, local developers, Tennessee small business grants for small businesses Department of Transportation, community with longstanding ties to Nashville development practitioners, and small business owners to do immigrant and refugee business visits/tour on Nolensville Pike

conexionamericas.org • 23 Established in February 2020, the Little Kurdistan sign is located at the Kurdish Business Plaza at the intersection of Nolens- ville Pike and Elysian Fields Court in the heart of Nashville’s Kurdish community.

• Action: Convene developers, nonprofit partners and government entities to review data from Goal #3 small business surveys Expand resources for microenterprise 2B. Strategy: Conduct outreach, base building, development for small business leaders and leadership development trainings for Nolensville Pike small business leaders on Nolensville Pike • Action: Cultivate relationships with small business leaders 3A. Strategy: Continue to provide opportunities • Action: Develop and deliver a curriculum for Latino entrepreneurs to access business expansion of culturally-relevant community engagement in Nashville from Nolensville Pike trainings for entrepreneurs • Action: Continue to offer the online platform/ • Action: Identify and invest in leaders for the Etsy Maker Cities classes and other business potential formation of the Nolensville Pike marketing classes Business Alliance • Action: Provide small business owners with • Action: Liaise with neighborhood organizations, information and resources on how to access landlords, faith-based organizations, and policy to capital and work with nonprofit CDFIs makers/boards e.g. zoning commission • Action: Create a workshop to address cultural • Action: Connect with Kurdish and Latino barriers for immigrant entrepreneurs community organizations and city-wide business alliances 3B. Strategy: Continue to provide technical assistance for individuals and groups via English and Spanish-language small business classes • Action: Hire an Associate Director of Economic Opportunity to provide training, connection, and coaching for microenterprise development and business expansion

24 • conexionamericas.org 3C. Strategy: Continue to provide microgrants • Action: Assess opportunities and potential for technology and beautification collaborations for a community land trust • Action: Secure funding for future presentation and collective ownership of business property of microgrants to small business owners on Nolensville Pike • Action: • Action: Follow up on small business improvement Advocate for Mesa Komal vendors implementation and highlight it through social to sell food products in the MLS Stadium media and traditional media • Action: Explore opportunities for commercial space and affordable housing with on the corridor 3D. Strategy: Advocate for food businesses and entrepreneurs to have greater visibility and access 3E. Strategy: Advocate for visibility of immigrant to storefront locations and refugee-owned small businesses and increased • Action: Create collaborations for immigrant cultural competency in government institutions and refugee small business owners to gain access • Action: Meet with the Tennessee Department of to physical storefront space in new businesses Agriculture to address the impact of immigration on Nolensville Pike realities on Latino and immigrant business owners • Action: Meet with developers and incoming • Action: Advocate for changes in food truck policies businesses to establish partnerships with with the Tennessee Department of Health immigrant entrepreneurs • Action: Advocate for changes in zoning policies • Action: Support food truck microenterprise to support neighborhood-serving food business development by highlighting food entrepreneurs and retail diversity along Nolensville Pike during events at Casa Azafrán and Azafrán Park

Bacon & Caviar Gourmet Catering, located at 2702 Nolensville Pike, received a $2,000 grant from Conexión Américas in March 2020 for landscaping and site beautification of their property along the Nolensville Pike corridor.

conexionamericas.org • 25 • Action: Review transportation development plans Goal #4 and assess with partners (Greater Nashville Regional Council and others) the potential Create an accessible, walkable, impact of signage, parking issues, and changes and safe neighborhood to transportation routes on small businesses on Nolensville Pike

4A. Strategy: Advocate for public transportation expansion, increased walkability, and pedestrian safety on Nolensville Pike Goal #5 • Action: Continue to collaborate with Walk Bike Maintain the cultural vitality of Nashville to assess the accessibility for Phase II the corridor to reflect the diversity of Azafrán Park of the neighborhood • Action: Communicate with the Nashville Mayor’s Office on the city’s transportation plan by hosting Spanish-language transportation listening tour sessions 5A. Strategy: Develop Phase II of Azafrán Park for • Action: Advocate for and implement $1 million green space and culturally relevant programming. We in artistic transit improvements at the intersections hope to build an amphitheater at the park, which near Azafrán Park, Coleman Park Community more Nashvillians will be able to access given the Center, Glencliff High School, the Salahadeen transit improvements our team successfully advocated Center and the Nashville Zoo, with the Envision for on Nolensville Pike (ie. crosswalk, traffic light, Nolensville Pike Collaborative and refuge island). • Action: Work for improvements to sidewalks • Action: Meet with Metro Parks to ensure the and bike lanes on multiple other sections implementation of the plan to develop Phase II of Nolensville Pike with input from small of Azafrán Park business owners and the Envision Nolensville 5B. Strategy: Amplify the implementation of Pike Collaborative transportation changes, artistic bus shelters and 4B. Strategy: Advocate for impact amelioration public art on Nolensville Pike of transit improvements along Nolensville Pike • Action: Highlight the Envision Nolensville Pike • Action: Continue to represent interests of documentary produced by a local filmmaker Nolensville Pike residents at transportation 5C. Strategy: Continue to host culturally-relevant coalition meetings community engagement events • Action: Work with the Nashville Mayor’s Office Action: Host events including the Azafrán Park to hear directly from small business owners their Farmers’ Market, annual Latino family festival, needs for parking, sidewalks, beautification and early voting site at Casa Azafrán, Holiday Bazar streetscaping, and crosswalks and exhibits in the art galleries at Casa Azafrán

26 • conexionamericas.org The annual Conexión Américas Holiday Bazar and Day of Action at Caza Azafrán invites community members to support local immigrant entrepreneurs by purchasing artisanal jewelry, food, and gifts, and to advocate for a more welcoming community through a postcard writing campaign to legislators.

Goal #6 Goal #7 Raise the profile of Conexión Américas Expand resource development as a leader on our priority issues for equitable development work on Nolensville Pike

6A. Strategy: Amplify our story nationally as a leader in equitable economic development 7A. Strategy: Apply for funding to support our • Action: Continue speaking as a leader at work and build capacity for equitable development national forums on Nolensville Pike

6B. Strategy: Continue to build relationships with • Action: Apply for funding to implement local media to report on developments of our work our Nolensville Pike Equitable Development on Nolensville Pike Action Plan • Action: Utilize communications strategies • Action: Apply for funding for future presentation to increase awareness of our priority issues to of microgrants to small business owners (see include social media and outreach to the media, Strategy 3C) for example, on the bus stop installations on Nolensville Pike

conexionamericas.org • 27 04 | Timeline for Implementation and Measurable Outcomes

Note: This report was written at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we address this long-term crisis, compounded with the effects of the March 3, 2020 tornadoes in Middle Tennessee, we will need to adjust our goals and timeline according to the current needs of our community, as well as the public health guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and our local Metro Nashville and Tennessee health departments.

Timeline Goal Measurable Outcomes (short-term, medium-term, long-term)

Goal 1: Ensure immigrant entrepreneurs and minority-owned small businesses share Create policy platform for 2020 with input from Medium term (12-24 months) in Nashville’s economic “boom” and are local and national partner organizations protected from involuntary displacement

Engage 15 elected officials to advocate for support of local immigrant and refugee-owned Medium term (12-24 months) businesses at our annual Day on the Hill

28 • conexionamericas.org Timeline Goal Measurable Outcomes (short-term, medium-term, long-term)

Goal 2: Increase civic engagement and advocacy Host a summit with at least 3 representatives of of Latino and Kurdish small business owners and each sector: local elected officials, developers, immigrant communities to be consulted as experts community partners, government taskforce leaders, Long term (24-48 months) with community organizations, policy makers, and small business leaders to address the long-term and developers development strategy of Nolensville Pike Recruit and train 12 small business leaders to participate in civic engagement training and Long term (24-48 months) culturally-relevant curriculum Generate a press release on the small business survey data and vulnerability to displacement to Short term (3-12 months) share with media outlets and 15 elected officials and government agencies Goal 3: Expand resources for microenterprise Hire an Associate Director of Economic Opportunity development for small business leaders on to develop capacity to support small business owners’ Short term (3-12 months) Nolensville Pike access to capital and technical support Continue to promote Conexión Américas’ online marketing/Etsy Maker City courses to serve at least Short term (3-12 months) 30 microentrepreneurs via these classes Meet with representatives of the Major League Soccer stadium to secure placement for 2-5 Mesa Long term (24-48 months) Komal vendors in the MLS Stadium

conexionamericas.org • 29 Timeline Goal Measurable Outcomes (short-term, medium-term, long-term)

Goal 4: Create an accessible, walkable, Advocate for and implement $1 million in artistic and safe neighborhood improvements at the intersections near Azafrán Park, Coleman Park Community Center, Glencliff Long term (24-48 months) High School, the Salahadeen Center and the Nashville Zoo Invite 3-10 small business owners to share their transportation concerns with the Mayor’s Office at a Transportation Listening Session to promote Short term (3-12 months) impact amelioration of transit improvements on Nolensville Pike Meet with the representatives of the Envision Nolensville Pike Collaborative to plan for advocacy Medium term (12-24 months) for more accessibility, walkability, and safety on Nolensville Pike Goal 5: Maintain the cultural vitality of the corridor Establish a timeline for the implementation of to reflect the diversity of the neighborhood Phase II of Azafrán Park that includes metrics for Long term (24-48 months) construction and transit/accessibility improvements Goal 6: Raise the profile of Conexión Américas Amplify artistic bus stop installations and small as a leader on our priority issues business engagement micro-grants to receive 2 Short term (3-12 months) earned media promotions Speak at 2 local, state or national convenings to Long term (24-48 months) represent our work with small business owners Goal 7: Expand resource development for equitable Pitch an investment proposal to 2 funders to promote Long term (24-48 months) development work on Nolensville Pike equitable development on Nolensville Pike Apply for $20,000 in funding to support biannual microgrants for small business owners on Medium term (12-24 months) Nolensville Pike

30 • conexionamericas.org conexionamericas.org • 31 This Equitable Development Action Plan is supported by:

W.K. Kellogg Foundation

2195 Nolensville Pike Nashville, TN 37211 www.conexionamericas.org • (615) 320-5152 en Español, (615) 269-6900